Mariners Landing occupies rolling terrain along the shores of Smith Mountain Lake in south-central Virginia, part of a residential community developed in the lake region approximately thirty miles southeast of Roanoke. Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed the course during his prolific career, bringing his characteristic approach to strategic design and dramatic bunkering to this lakeside setting. The property takes advantage of the natural topography created by the reservoir, which was formed in the 1960s when Appalachian Power dammed the Roanoke River. The routing moves through wooded corridors and opens to views of the lake at several points, with elevation changes typical of the Piedmont region's transition between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the coastal plain. Jones's design philosophy emphasized multiple teeing grounds to accommodate different skill levels while maintaining strategic interest through the placement of hazards and the shaping of greens. The bunkering follows his recognizable style, with deep, sculptured sand complexes that frame landing areas and guard putting surfaces. Smith Mountain Lake serves as both a scenic backdrop and an occasional playing hazard, though the course balances lakeside holes with inland stretches through mature hardwoods. The layout provides a resort-style golf experience within a private club setting, serving the residential community and reflecting the development patterns common to recreational lake properties in Virginia during the latter decades of the twentieth century.